Binder back



wm mm vn HEM, M II 6 w w w a United States Patent 3,099,465 BINDER BACK Ernest Hazel, Jr., St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Ernest Hazel, Jr., Inc., St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Feb. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 87,247 2 Claims. (Cl. 281--36) 'Ilhis invention relates to loose-leaf binders, and more particularly, to a back for such binders, which back interconnects the cover panels of a loose-leaf binder.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a back for loose-leaf binders, which back has as a part thereof, a resilient cushioning member, which cushioning member eliminates the flattening out of the binder back 'When the loose-leaf book is in use and eliminates the tendency of the locking mechanism of the loose-leaf binder to become inoperative due to the constant use of the binder and the striking of the same against desks, counters or the like.

A yet further aim of the instant invention is to provide a binder back which includes a plate of rigid material having the resilient cushioning member in overlying engagement therewith throughout substantially the full length of the plate, the resilient member being provided With a plurality of longitudinal ribs on the surface thereof next adjacent the rigid plate whereby to allow said resilient member to compress and give as weight and pressure are exerted upon the binder back.

Another object of this invention is to provide a binder back for the type of loose-leaf binders which are conventionally used to hold oflicial records and the like, and which are in wide use in government ofiices and similar establishments, which binder back will stand cconsiderable more wear and tear than anything presently known.

Other objects of the invention include the manner in which the resilient cushioning member is secured to the rigid plate and the additional components of the binder back, and other details of construction which will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a rear elevational view of a loose-leaf binder having the binder back forming the subject matter of this invention as a part thereof;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a loose-leaf binder having the subject binder back as a part thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the binder back taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective plan view of the normally inner face of the binder back, parts being broken away to reveal details of construction.

The binder back forming the subject of this invention is broadly designated by the numeral and is intended to be used with heavy loose-leaf binders which carry official records and the like, the complete binder including, in addition to the binder back 10, a pair of opposed cover panels 12 and 14 which are swingably interconnected to the binder back along opposed marginal edges of said back 10.

Back 10 includes a plate 16 of rigid material such as metal or the like, which plate 16, in the embodiment chosen for illustration, is substantially rectangular in configuration.

A pair of cardboard pieces 18 and 20 overlie one face 22 of plate 16, and are of substantially the same size as plate 16. Pieces 18 and 20 are adhesively secured together and are likewise adhesively secured to face 22 of plate 16.

A resilient cushioning member 24 overlies plate 16 and pieces 18 and 20, said member 24 being substantially coextensive in length and width with said plate '16. AS best seen in FIG. 3, member 24 is arcuate in transverse cross section and has a plurality of ribs 26, 28, 30 and 32 formed in the surface 34 thereof which is next adjacent the plate 16. The formation of ribs 26-32 results in a plurality of longitudinal grooves 36 which, like the ribs 2632, are coextensive in length with member 24.

A sheet of flexible material 38 overlies the upper surface 40 of member 24 as seen in FIG. 3, said sheet of flexible material 38 having its free edges 42 and 44 in overlying engagement with the lowermost fa'ce 46 of plate 16 as viewed in FIG. 3. Said marginal edges 42 and 44 of flexible sheet 38, are adihesively secured to face 46 of plate 16 whereby to retain member 24 in its position with respect to plate 16 and cardboard pieces 18 and 20.

A pair of binge plates 48 and 50 overlie the marginal edges 42 and 44 of sheet 38 and are secured to plate 16 by means of down-turned cars such as 52. Plates 48 and 50 also aid in retaining flexible sheet 38 in its desired position and additionally secure the same to face 46 of plate 16.

Each of plates 48 and 50 is provided with a plurality of hinge pintles 54 which are adapted to engage corresponding pintles of cover panels 12 and 14, whereby said cover panels 12 and 14 may be swingably secured to the binder back 10.

Additional binding in the form of a pair of cardboard strips 56 and 58 is provided to serve as further cushioning means for the Loose-leaf binder and binder back.

"It will be appreciated that loose-leaf binders, which are used to contain heavy records and the like, are in quite frequent use by governmental agencies and similar bodies, and that because of the size and bulk of such binders when filled with records, they are subjected to extreme stresses and strains resulting not only from the normal use of the binder, but fnom the dropping of the same onto countertops and the like. 'The binder back 10, as hereinabove described, is intended to be used as an integral part of such loose-leaf bindens and may be provided as a part of the original binder, or substituted for the conventional backs which have worn out in use.

A loose-leaf binder having the binder back 10 as a part thereof, is protected against damage and excessive wear and tear as a result of the resilient cushioning member 24 which, by virtue of the construction thereof, absonbs blows delivered to the back of the binder and further, because of the arcuate configuration of member 24, eliminates the flattening of the binder back when the loose-leaf binder is open, and the resulting tendency to overburden the locking and binding mechanism of the loose-leaf binder.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A back for loose-leaf binders comprising a plate of rigid material; a cushioning member of resilient material overlying one face of said plate and coextensive therewith; a layer of cardboard disposed between said member and said one face of the plate, said member having a plurality of longitudinally extending, spaced apart ribs formed in the surface thereof next adjacent said face, said ribs being in engagement with said layer of cardboard; a sheet of flexible material overlying the iopp osite surface off said member and having its free edges in overlying engagement with the opposite face of the plate; and hinge means carried by said opposite face of the plate whereby the cover panels of the binder may be swingably attached to the back thereof.

2. A back for loose-leaf binders comprising a rigid plate; a cushioning member overlying one face of said plate and coextensive therewith, said cushioning member being provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending, spaced apart ribs on the surface thereof next adjacent 4 said face whereby to define a plurality of grooves, said ribs and said grooves extending substantially the full length of said plate; and means securing said cushioning member to said plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,320,596 A oki Nov. 4, 1919 1,919,827 Oo oper July 25, 1933 2,380,206 Wiser July 10, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,221,856 France Jan. 18, 1960 

2. A BACK FOR LOOSE-LEAF BINDERS COMPRISING A RIGID PLATE; A CUSHIONING MEMBER OVERLYING ONE FACE OF SAID PLATE AND COEXTENSIVE THEREWITH, SAID CUSHIONING MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING, SPACED APART RIBS ON THE SURFACE THEREOF NEXT ADJACENT SAID FACE WHEREBY TO DEFINE A PLURALITY OF GROOVES, SAID RIBS AND SAID GROOVES EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL LENGTH OF SAID PLATE; AND MEANS SECURING SAID CUSHIONING MEMBER TO SAID PLATE. 